Fed up of changing your iPhone case every time you want to use an external battery pack or add a kickstand? Well, Boostcase for iPhone 5 hopes to make that a thing of the past. It’s just one case, but it’s compatible with a ton of attachments that slide into little grooves on its back and add all kinds of extra functionality to your phone.

BOOSTCASE by BoostcaseCategory: CasesWorks With: iPhone 5Price: $35+

I’ve been using Boostcase for the past two weeks, thanks to MyBanana, with a kickstand and a hand strap. But you can also get an external battery pack, a card holder, a wallet case, a clutch case, a studded jacket (which isn’t as saucy as it sounds), and more — all of which can be applied in seconds without ever having to remove the Boostcase from your iPhone.

The Boostcase itself costs $35 in a range of different colors and patterns, and for that you also get the hand strap and the kickstand. The other attachments range from $20 to $100.

So, let’s find out whether Boostcase is the only case you’ll ever need for your iPhone.

The holes.

The Boostcase doesn’t look too different from any other snap-on iPhone case when it’s on its own, but it’s the little holes on its back that make it special, because they hold all the attachments that I’ve mentioned above.

I didn’t get a chance to test all of those, unfortunately; I just got the two that come with the Boostcase itself. But I did get a good feel for how easy they are to apply, how useful they can be, and how good the Boostcase itself is as a case.

The Good

Just because the Boostcase has a few holes in its back, it doesn’t mean it won’t provide you with the same level of protection you’d expect from other snap-on cases. Its made from a very study plastic and it covers the back, sides, and corners of your iPhone to ensure that its svelte aluminum body won’t get scratched or damaged if it happens to take a tumble.

There’s also a slight lip that runs down the side of your device to protect the display. When I say slight, I mean it’ll prevent your display from getting scratched if you place if face-down on your desk, but it might not help a lot if your iPhone falls face-first on a rough surface.

The beauty of the Boostcase is that you can quickly remove and reapply attachments as and when you need to.

The Boostcase also provides you with complete access to your iPhone’s buttons, ports, and cameras, and all of the attachments that are available are designed to accommodate the rear-facing camera — so you don’t need to worry about any of them blocking it.

The hand strap.

The kickstand attachment is neat, because it’s small enough to carry around in your pocket and it holds your iPhone in landscape mode when you want to catch up on your favorite TV shows on the train. You wouldn’t want to keep it attached to your phone all the time because it looks silly and it sticks out, but that’s the beauty of the Boostcase — you can quickly remove and reapply anything as and when you need to.

As for the hand strap, that’s handy if you’re especially clumsy and you need something extra to hold onto to prevent you from dropping your device. You could also use it to hook your iPhone onto things, such as a the drawer handle next to your bed, but I don’t really see it being anymore useful than that.

Again, there are plenty of other, more useful attachments for the Boostcase that would make it even greater. I just didn’t get a chance to test those, unfortunately, but maybe I could for future reviews.

The Bad

The hand strap should really be called the finger strap, because that’s all you can really get into it. Even I could only fit two fingers in comfortably, and I only have small, girly hands. You can still get a pretty decent grip on your iPhone with it, but it does look bigger in the pictures than it actually is.

I had two gripes with the Boostcase case itself. First, it doesn’t protect the top or bottom edged of your iPhone — those are left completely exposed — so if you drop your device and you’re unlucky enough to have it land on those edges, it’s going to get damaged.

The Boostcase has 26 holes it doesn’t need.

Second, the Boostcase attachments take advantage of just two holes on the top of the case and two holes at the bottom, yet its makers went and drilled another 26 in there for seemingly no reason whatsoever. I’m guessing it was a design thing, and that the holes are supposed to look good, but they don’t.

What’s more, than can collect dust and dirt after a while, and you have to remove the case and give it a quick clean. I’d have much preferred it if there were just four holes.

The Verdict

The Boostcase is unlike any other iPhone case I’ve ever used, and I really like it.

The Boostcase is unlike any other iPhone case I’ve ever used, and I really like it. I’m forever switching cases to add credit card space or a kickstand or an external battery, but with the boost case it’s as easy as popping one of and sliding the other on. You can stick all the attachments you know you’re going to need in your bag before you head of for the day, and you don’t need to worry about carrying extra cases.

It’s also exciting to think about the other attachments Boostcase might open your iPhone up to in the future. Maybe we’ll see a camera tripod or camera lenses, or even a clip-on games controller.

While the Boostcase does have a couple of downsides, it’s a great snap-on case, and it’s even better when you start adding attachments to it. And if those attachments are things you know you’ll use, I highly recommend it.

Product Name: BoostcaseThe Good: Keeps your iPhone protected, has a ton of awesome attachments.The Bad: Leaves top and bottom edges of iPhone exposed; has more holes that are needed.The Verdict: Great case that’s good for anything.Buy from:MyBanana